Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Sir Tigger KC on 07 January 2016, 23:53:16
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HP Compaq Presario CQ56 about 4 years old and it's not starting up properly. :( It makes all the right noises but the screen remains blank. If I keep trying eventually it will boot up, but tonight it has taken about an hour to get going. When it does start up it works fine. ::)
The battery is knackered but it still won't start with the battery removed, I have a HP G60 which had the same issue but that works fine on the mains lead. :-\ A spot of googling suggests the hard drive is fubared. :-\
Any ideas chaps or should I just send it to Mrs Opti for her target practice sessions. ??? ::) :)
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I'm guessing not, but have you tried a fresh install (from CD or USB flash drive) of Windows?
If not, it's worth a go.
Failing that, don't condemn a laptop for a HDD issue - £30 will get you a new HDD, and being a Compaq, it'll have 2 screws to remove the storage (HDD) cover and bang a new one in there.
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Or, if you are going to scrap it, PM me, and I'll pay you the postage plus a few beers.
I refurbish laptops for local charities. They really do come in handy. :y
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Ah yes I'll try reinstalling Windows, although I don't have a CD or USB flash drive just the reset to factory settings option. :-\
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HP Compaq Presario CQ56 about 4 years old and it's not starting up properly. :( It makes all the right noises but the screen remains blank. If I keep trying eventually it will boot up, but tonight it has taken about an hour to get going. When it does start up it works fine. ::)
The battery is knackered but it still won't start with the battery removed, I have a HP G60 which had the same issue but that works fine on the mains lead. :-\ A spot of googling suggests the hard drive is fubared. :-\
Any ideas chaps or should I just send it to Mrs Opti for her target practice sessions. ??? ::) :)
Please don't................. ;D ;D
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HP Compaq Presario CQ56 about 4 years old and it's not starting up properly. :( It makes all the right noises but the screen remains blank. If I keep trying eventually it will boot up, but tonight it has taken about an hour to get going. When it does start up it works fine. ::)
The battery is knackered but it still won't start with the battery removed, I have a HP G60 which had the same issue but that works fine on the mains lead. :-\ A spot of googling suggests the hard drive is fubared. :-\
Any ideas chaps or should I just send it to Mrs Opti for her target practice sessions. ??? ::) :)
Please don't................. ;D ;D
It would be cheaper for you to have a stock of already broken ones for her to throw ::)
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It would suggest the HDD may be failing. Download Hirens (its now all legit freeware/trial packages, unlike its early days), you'll find some disk test tools on there. In particular, I'd look at the SMART parameters.
New laptop drives are cheap.... ....or really boost it with an SSD, 240Gb from a premium manufacturer is under £50 now. SSD will need Win7 or higher though.
However, given than HP/Compaq machines oriented towards the consumer really are a crock of unreliable shite, do not rule out systemboard problems, esp around the power circuitry, or cooling issues.
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However, given than HP/Compaq machines oriented towards the consumer really are a crock of unreliable shite, do not rule out systemboard problems, esp around the power circuitry, or cooling issues.
I've wondered about this, as the battery died while I was in Lanzarote and I left it plugged in on standby a couple of nights. The start up issue started to happen then. Maybe the power supply there isn't as steady as here.... :-\
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However, given than HP/Compaq machines oriented towards the consumer really are a crock of unreliable shite, do not rule out systemboard problems, esp around the power circuitry, or cooling issues.
I've wondered about this, as the battery died while I was in Lanzarote and I left it plugged in on standby a couple of nights. The start up issue started to happen then. Maybe the power supply there isn't as steady as here.... :-\
Don't drink foreign water or use foreign electricity. :)
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Now you tell me.... ::)
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Well I havn't done anything about fixing this lappy. ::)
However I've realised that when I switch it on and it starts up with the dead screen, if I leave it like that for half an hour or so, switch it off and on again, then it will start up fine! :)
Does that mean anything to anyone? :-\
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Could be dodgy screen inverter - when it starts with a blank screen shine a torch into screen - if you see anything faint there that you recognise its a duff inverter ;) Easily sourced and swapped.
Or as others have said could be a failing HD - is the HD unusually noisy?
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No the screen is completely blank when it dosn't start properly. :( Thanks for the suggestion though! :y
If I put in a new hard drive or as TB suggests a SSD, how do I reload windows without a disc? :-\
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Answer is in Post #2.
Have you confirmed the HDD as faulty? Myself and TB have only suggested that is the problem (although, very likely).
It could be the SATA controller on the M/B for example.
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Do you ever pass my way? If you do, and you want advice before spending any cash, swing it round.
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Cheers TB! :y
I'll reset it to factory install and see if that makes a difference and I did have a look at the Hirens site you recommended but got scared and ran away! :D
I was planning on having a look at it today as it's been a miserable day, but got distracted by other stuff that cropped up. ::)
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So I finally had a little tinker with this old laptop of mine the other day and put the hard drive from another deadish laptop that was languishing at the back of a cupboard in it. :)
No joy though as all I got was a message telling me
Boot Device Not Found
Please install an operating system on your hard disc.
Hard Disc - (3FO)
I havn't got a disc to load windows, so I put the original hard drive back in and now its been working fine! :y Although it can be very slow loading up a new website. :-\
The thing that I don't understand is that the other laptop starts and boots up, but veeeereeee sloooooowleeee...... ::) So that laptop 'sees' the hard drive but this one didn't.... :-\
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Sounds like the drive was incompatible for some reason. :-\
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Put the laptop back together and pug it into a monitor or tv using a hdmi or other cable and see what happens ;)
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So I finally had a little tinker with this old laptop of mine the other day and put the hard drive from another deadish laptop that was languishing at the back of a cupboard in it. :)
No joy though as all I got was a message telling me
Boot Device Not Found
Please install an operating system on your hard disc.
Hard Disc - (3FO)
I havn't got a disc to load windows, so I put the original hard drive back in and now its been working fine! :y Although it can be very slow loading up a new website. :-\
The thing that I don't understand is that the other laptop starts and boots up, but veeeereeee sloooooowleeee...... ::) So that laptop 'sees' the hard drive but this one didn't.... :-\
Modern fangled partitioning as used on modern-ish OS's, or old fashioned MBR?
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Also, check in BIOS to see if that can see disk.